A one-of-one 1931 Duesenberg Model J “Tapertail” Speedster and a brutal 1969 McLaren M8B Can‑Am racer headlined the 2026 Amelia Island Concours winners, underscoring why classic car enthusiasts eagerly await the Amelia Island Concours every March.
2026 Amelia Concours Winners
The headline 2026 Amelia Island Concours winners were split along the event’s now-traditional twin Best of Show awards: Concours d’Elegance and Concours de Sport. Together, the Duesenberg and McLaren rose above a field of more than 280 entrants spread across dozens of classes, giving this year’s Amelia Island Concours results a distinctly “best of both worlds” flavor – American classic elegance and no-rules Can‑Am aggression.
Best of Show - Concours d’Elegance
Best of Show, Concours d’Elegance went to a 1931 Duesenberg Model J “Tapertail” Speedster by Weymann, entered by the William Lyon family of Coto de Caza, California. Riding on a short‑wheelbase chassis with Gordon Buehrig–designed speedster bodywork, the car combines Duesenberg’s 265‑hp DOHC straight‑eight with ultra-clean lines: no exterior door handles, no running boards, no roll‑up windows, and a single‑person rumble seat tucked into the tapered tail that gives the car its nickname.
Duesenberg Dominance Continues
This Tapertail Speedster arrived at Amelia with serious concours pedigree, having already claimed top honors at the La Jolla Concours in 2023 and the Wynn Las Vegas Concours in 2024 before adding the 2026 Amelia Concours d’Elegance trophy to its résumé. Its victory also extends Duesenberg’s remarkable record on the island; since 2010, a Duesenberg has now taken the Amelia Concours d’Elegance Best in Show seven times, cementing the marque’s reputation as the undisputed champion of Amelia.
Lyon Family and Aviation Heritage
Ordered new by San Francisco aviation pioneer Walter Varney – whose early air‑mail ventures eventually evolved into United Airlines – the Duesenberg later joined the collection of U.S. Air Force Major General William Lyon in 1999. This month his son, Bill H. Lyon, presented the car on behalf of the family and Lyon Air Museum collection, describing the Tapertail as one of the family favorites and noting that showing – and now winning – with it at Amelia helps keep his connection to his late father alive.
Best of Show - Concours de Sport
On the competition side of the 2026 Amelia Island Concours results, Best of Show, Concours de Sport was awarded to a 1969 McLaren M8B Can‑Am, finished in signature Papaya Orange and owned by Chicago-based Mouse Motors. Bristling with a towering polished‑aluminum wing perched above a 7.0‑liter Chevrolet V‑8 producing around 600 horsepower, the M8B represents Can‑Am’s peak “no rules” era – so intimidating that even 2026 Amelia honoree and multi‑time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti admits the car “kind of” frightens him.
McLaren M8B’s Perfect Season Legacy
Historically, this McLaren M8B is a powerhouse: Bruce McLaren drove the number 4 M8B to six wins and the 1969 Can‑Am championship, while teammate Denny Hulme added five more victories in the sister car, giving the M8B a clean sweep of all 11 races that season. Despite challenges from star drivers like Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Chris Amon, and others in Ferraris, Lolas, Porsches, and McKees, none could break the McLaren team’s stranglehold on victory lane, making the M8B one of the most dominant sports‑racers ever to appear among Amelia Concours winners.
Restoration and Mouse Motors Story
The winning M8B was discovered in rough condition with a father‑and‑son ownership in San Diego, then went to auction in 2018 where Mouse Motors secured it after a fierce bidding war against an anonymous rival later revealed to be McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. From there the car was sent to the McLaren Heritage workshop for a painstaking restoration back to original configuration, and today it is believed to be the only surviving M8B in that spec – a rarity that adds extra weight to its 2026 Amelia Concours de Sport triumph.
Franchitti’s Reaction and Event Vibes
During the awards ceremony, Dario Franchitti juggled presenting duties as the McLaren M8B shared the stage with the 1931 Duesenberg Tapertail, giving spectators a vivid side‑by‑side contrast between prewar American luxury and late‑1960s Can‑Am excess. Calling Can‑Am “a very different kind of racing” and “an amazing time,” he even joked that if he’d raced in that era, he might not be around today – an acknowledgment of just how wild machines like the M8B really are.
Why the Amelia Island Concours Results Matter
For collectors and enthusiasts tracking Amelia Island Concours results for market and historical insight, the 2026 winners underline two enduring themes: prewar American classics remain blue‑chip concours material, and historically significant race cars now command equal respect on the show field. The Tapertail Duesenberg’s one‑off body and decorated show history, paired with the McLaren M8B’s unbeaten Can‑Am season and meticulous factory‑heritage restoration, ensure that the 2026 Amelia Concours winners will be reference points for years to come in both concours judging and collector‑car valuation circles.